Looking Ahead

"Sycophant?"

He found a comfortable ledge to sit on to examine his runes more in-depth.

Memory: [Sycophant's Enshroudment]

Memory Rank: [Dormant, Tier VII]

Memory Description: [A crude imitation of the sycophant's garments.]

"Weaker than that blade the Sage gave me."

He summoned the memory. Silk strips began to materialize, gliding gracefully through the air and gently grazing his skin. It was an intriguing sight—the threads quickly wrapped around his body, first circling his wrists, then coiling up his arms. Another set of silk strips threaded around his ankles and traveled up his legs until eventually, his entire body, from head to toe, was covered in silk.

The strips began to tighten. Dex felt the pressure intensify, almost taking his breath away. Though the memory left a slit for him to see through, that part of the silken armor was less restrictive.

As the silken cloth settled around him, Dex immediately noticed a remarkable difference. The weight of fatigue that had been clinging to his muscles began to dissipate. It was as if the cloth had melded with his very skin. Every movement felt fluid and unhindered.

"What the hell is this?" he muttered in astonishment.

His eyes drifted back to his runes, searching for answers. What was he feeling?

Memory Enchantments

[Veil of Kin] – "As long as one is draped in this garment, crafted from the richest spider silk, you are part of its kin."

[Efficient Silk] – "This silk is of the highest quality, allowing it to carry heavy weight without issue—even your burdens! Tread lightly"

[Delicate] – "Though crafted from premium silk, this garment was woven poorly, being the first of its kind. Such an outcome is to be expected."

So far, this memory was fairly weak in rank compared to his last, but it offered one, maybe two useful enchantments. However, he discovered a mysterious enchantment that remained obscured.

Enchantment: [???]

[Prerequisite]: "Through hollow eyes, no soul can see; in the shadows, I reign supreme. What am I, feared and seldom shown, a demon's face, yet not my own?"

Enchantment Description: [???]

[Prerequisite]: "I wear a visage of ancient dread; in lacquered black, my form is spread. With fangs that pierce the shrouded night, and no one around to withstand my might. I stand forgotten for no one to see, but for the fallen, they remember me."

"A pair of stupid riddles just to learn the description and even the name of an enchantment?"

Dex didn't remember learning anything about this, though school never really deep dived into the possibilities, it mostly just zeroed in on the basics pertaining to the spell.

"Screw this! I wasn't interested anyways!"

Dex waved away his runes and returned to the climb. The climb only increased in difficulty, yet the memory covering him allowed him to ascend with surprising ease, as if the silk was siphoning away his fatigue, granting him the strength to continue.

The harsh winds roared around him relentlessly, attempting to peel him off the mountainside. Sheets of heavy rain battered against him, drenching him as he clung desperately to the mountain, praying he would not fall. Crashing thunder and lightning left the atmosphere cracking with energy.

His lungs burned as if they were on fire, threatening to collapse under the strain of the thin air. After what felt like forever, he took a brief rest, clutching the rocky surface as he gasped for air. Without the aid of this memory, he knew he would never have been able to tackle such a challenge.

When he finally looked down, he was met with clouds swirling beneath him, wrapping around the mountain. He had reached a magnificent height.

With one final, determined effort, he managed to clear the distance. Though he just barely made it by, his silk armor allowed him to only get away with so much. He had done it.

He collapsed on his stomach and laughed to himself, with his face plastered against the rough stone of the mountain kissing it.

"I did it!"

He pushed himself off the ground, looking up at his surroundings, and it became blatantly clear that this was not the time nor the place for him to be celebrating.

The summit was flattened, as though its peak was cleaved off, leaving behind a plateau. Dark, oily webs clung to the stone in front of him like veins, returning back to its origin which was a temple.

The temple was corrupted by these oily, vile webs that strung about the structure; the temple appeared ancient, but that could have just been because of the corruption of the webbing that had taken place. But atop the temple was a shadowy figure.

The Dark-Laced Weavemother loomed atop the temple. Her massive form was monstrously elegant—her body a deep dark, inky black comparable to the webs she wove. Her head, like that of her young, was covered in faint threads of purple, but hers glowed iridescently. Each of her long, slender legs spread across the massive temple, spanning the full distance. Her abdomen was swollen and shimmered as she breathed.

Her eyes numbered eight, gleaming purple. They shifted subtly as she set her gaze upon Dex. Her two eyes that nestled in the center were larger and seemed to focus on him with an eerie intelligence, observing him from afar.

She rose up from the temple softly and delicately; her long, slender legs tapped audibly across the top of the temple as she moved down to the temple's entrance, standing several feet from Dex.

Dex froze; there was no way in hell he would be able to take on such a creature like this and come out on top. Its size and the energy this creature gave off were something he could not beat, and the fact he didn't have a proper weapon memory made it worse—he was completely at this creature's mercy.

His eyes fixed upon the creature's fangs as they glistened with a dark, oily substance; the substance began pooling beneath her as she stared at him.

The wind was blowing lightly, and once it went stale, the Weavemother began to approach him.

Its long, slender legs moved across the tainted stone, with light tapping sounds. His heart sank in his chest at the sight as the creature was eye to eye with him; its purple eyes bore into his. Its fang dripped that dark, viscous venom near his feet, but he did not peel his eyes from it; he simply couldn't.

A sickening beauty was within its eyes; it reflected himself in a new light. For the first time, he saw himself as he always saw himself—strong, brave, and enduring.

Short chirps escaped the Weavemother's mandibles before it stepped aside.

Dex was left stunned; his reflection was gone, and all that was left for him to do was to walk forward into the spiderwebbed temple before him, and so he did.

[Prepare for appraisal...]

[Aspirant! Your trial is over.]

Within darkness, the spell spun a narrative.

[From humble beginnings, a young man trained under a sage who tested his mettle and true worth. His sweat demonstrated his effort, but the fruits of his labor had yet to be revealed. In a final bid to prove himself, he scaled Weaver Mountain, a towering peak pulled from the earth. Battling the elements and slaying a beast along the way, he persevered. Awaiting him there was his final test: acceptance. He was welcomed into the temple by the Black-Laced Weavemother, who recognized remnants of her own within him.]

[You have defeated a Dormant Beast, Highland Boar.]

[You have defeated a Dormant Beast, Infantile Black-Laced Weaver.]

[You have been accepted!]

[Final appraisal: Expected. Fate has always favored you.]

"Oh, is that right?" he scoffed.

[Your Aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]

"Yes, change the damn name while you're at it."

[Dormant Aspect, Whisper of Luck evolving...]

"Please be divine!"

[New Aspect acquired.]

He waited in desperation for his results and fell silent as soon as the voice returned.

[Aspect Rank: Ascended.]

"Come on!" He shouted in the darkness.

Aspect Name: [Fate's Favor]

Aspect Description: [Fate has found sudden favor with you.]

"What the hell is this aspect?"

Innate Ability: [One of many]

"Finally! Something good!"

Ability Description: [???]

Prerequisite: "No mortal touch, no earthly frame, yet all paths pass beneath its flame."

"Another damn prerequisite? It doesn't seem like I am in Fate's favor!"

The voice ignored him and continued.

[The First Seal is broken.]

[Awakening dormant powers...]

Energy surged from Dex's heart, spreading outward, spider webbing through every fiber of his being. The sensation was not painful at all; it was a warmth that created a rush that he had never felt before.

As the energy spread throughout his body, he could feel it igniting his muscles, enhancing his senses.

In that moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of grounding within himself; he was more aware of his body and its autonomy.

He lifted his eyes, and what he saw was enchanting. Above him, way high, delicate threads of vibrant green illuminated the darkness overhead, suspended in the air. Spread within the verdant strands were strands of gold, their brilliance even outshining the green. These gold fibers were slightly longer. They hung like shining golden ornaments against the faint glowing green. The sight was odd and mesmerizing; it was as if he had stepped into another realm.

It was his soul sea, and it was amazing.

A light breeze swept through the air, nudging the strands above, causing them to sway gracefully, creating rustling sounds as the strands brushed against each other. The wind carried a distant tinkling, a sound reminding him of the chimes his grandparents used to have outside their home.

The scene managed to make him smile; this time it was true and genuine.

[Aspect Ability acquired.]

Aspect Ability Name: [Friction Control.]

"Friction control? What does that have to do with fate?"

Aspect Ability Description: [Just as friction opposes motion, battling against Fate creates resistance. The more one tries to war against Fate, the harsher the wound he carves into their heart.]

"A little harsh, don't you think, Fate?"

The voice came back again.

[The price has been paid!]

[You seem to have already been flawed from conception!]

Those words lingered in his mind, what the hell did the spell even know?!

The voice erupted, interrupting his thoughts.

[Good Luck! Dexter!]

His soul sea suddenly spun into a swirl of green and gold, and then he awoke.

Master Cael rested against the cool wall, his body relaxed and his breathing steady. He had learned how to sleep standing up with his job of making sure sleepers didn't turn into nightmare creatures. The faint light of dawn filtered through the cracks of the window. His brow furrowed slightly as the radiating light attempted to peel his eyes open.

As the first rays of sunlight crept further into the room, Dex awoke.

Instantly, as if he could sense the shift in the atmosphere, Master Cael's eyes opened. He turned toward Dex, who was not fully awake, and they stared at each other.

"Good morning... Are you hungry?"

***

As the sun began to ascend, bathing the districts in a warm golden hue, the Solmnus Diner was as alive as ever. The windows, still shrouded in the remnants of night's chill, offered a closed-in atmosphere to those that dwelled inside. The neon sign within buzzed and flickered, proclaiming in bold, bright letters:

"Open 24 Hours."

Inside, the diner was a cozy environment, rich with the tantalizing aroma of breakfast. The booths, already populated by a slew of familiar faces and curious newcomers, buzzed with the bicker of conversation and the clatter of dishes.

Among the new arrivals was Zerin, a newcomer to the Solmnus diner, sitting across from Jerika, a regular whose presence in the space was as comforting as the diner's signature coffee.

"I'm so sorry..."

Jerika groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose as her elbow was firmly planted on the table. Across from her, Zerin sat calmly. He had completely forgotten about her promise to take him out to breakfast. Jerika apologized for her colleague's behavior; she had just gotten news of when she reviewed the interrogation tape, but her method of expressing this was to indulge in spending, and oh, how she was indulging—more than he had anticipated.

Zerin gazed at the sprawling buffet of food before him, his eyes widened at the sheer amount. Platters of fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp bacon that glistened with grease, and golden-brown pancakes that were stacked high, each drizzled with syrup. Fresh fruit and pastries, warm and flaky, filled the air with their aroma.

As he surveyed the feast laid out before him, he felt the opposite of delighted; a wave of nausea washed over him. He had practically had a feast by himself last night once Master Cael left, and now he was going to eat again. How could she expect him to eat any of this?

"Are you going to eat?" Jerika looked at him.

'You're kidding!'

"You want some?" He looked at her, hoping she would accept his offer and help him chip away at the meal.

But before she could answer, the bell above the entrance of the diner chimed, announcing the arrival of new customers. In walked a boy with tousled blonde hair that caught the morning light, his carefree demeanor matching perfectly with the lively atmosphere of the diner. Trailing closely behind him was Master Cael; his familiar presence was warm. He glanced around the bustling diner, and his eyes settled upon Jerika and Zerin with a smile.

The two of them approached the table, and Cael's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Do you mind if we join you two?" Cael asked as he gestured toward the empty seats.

Zerin sighed in relief. The thought of tackling a table full of food alone was impossible, but with two others joining them, the task seemed far more manageable.

"Hey, this is for Zer—" Jerika began, her voice firm as she gestured toward the overflowing plates, but her words were swiftly cut short.

"Sure, I don't mind," Zerin interjected without hesitation.

With that, Master Cael and Dex joined Zerin and Jerika in the booth. As the four of them settled in, Zerin watched laughter and chatter fill the air, blending with the clatter of the dishes and the scent of freshly brewed coffee that wafted around. They ate together, savoring the early morning sun that streamed through the diner's windows.